Simple answer is all of them. All do similar things but all do similar things to different degrees. Yes an injured sheep can be dispatched with a .22 or .223 or .243. All are the technically the same diameter or near enough. Most shooters will split them up into "20 Calibre" and "30 Calibre" and even "50 Calibre" but they're all different even within that.
Air Rifles are made in .177 right up to .50 calibre. They all do certain things better/worse than others.
Odd thing is its very difficult to have 2 firearms in the same calibre unless there's a distinct difference between the 2 or different purpose between the two. Its quite odd, its the rules but no one can exactly explain why. It is, so too bad.
I recall a person telling me their paper licence had gone into 2 pages (so they maybe had 10-12 or more)
and how a policeman said "You're getting quite a collection there, not sure why. Might be an issue"
When asked why the policeman said "Well its a getting towards a lot"
The owner pointed out very politely he was an approved licenced owner, had security measures well above the requirements under law & had genuine reason for each of them & he can only use one at a time.
The policeman said no its perfectly ok, its just a lot is all.
The owner said well as long as your minsiter doesn't put a dot on a street map to represent a place of a gun owner & slap it on the front page of the paper it will be fine. There was a nod & smile and "No comment" reply.
Frankly if a person has genuine need, has all the required security standards it doesn't matter if they have 2 or 2 dozen.
Anyway which was the best calibre? I got asked even more "6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5PRC, 300WM, 7PRC, 300WM or 300PRC. some of those are closer to some of those than others. Each has different advantages & disadvantages. Availability of rifles you can buy, compnonents to make a custom rifle, availibility of ammunition and then ballistic differences, recoil ete etc...
Within the purposes you'd use them also then throws more variables. Is it pest control, primary producer work, recreational hunting, sporting competitions. With that in mind if you're a competitor you are allowed (for now at least, hopefully forever) a back up firearm in case of malfunction. Yet if you're a pastoralists you can have a handgun for work but you cannot use it at a pistol club, nor can you use your pistol club handgun for work. That's remained despite advocacy to change that. That's one of many that is never included in any reform changes despite WAFTA & WAFCA pushes.
Anyway, is 300WM better than 300PRC or 7PRC. Answer it depends. They're all close but in certain way they're slightly different. If I had to have one & didn't have any I'd go 7PRC for several reasons but again it depends. Few people could afford to buy all 3 but if you can, you want the marginal differences between those then got for it.
I know professional shooters who mostly only use .223 but they've got skills most people won't have, both prone & quick off hand.
I think your limiting factor to which calibre & style depends on what you can afford, your genuine need & ability to store them safely.
I know of one chap who said he applied for a .303 to control rabbits. Yup, he got a phone call about the suitability of that. He demonstrated how it was completely safe where he was (very remote), that the .303 he was wanting to buy was in very good order, cheap & due to family connections/family business woiuld had access to a large amount of free .303 ammunition so it was cheaper than using a .22
He said (?) Police said fair enough, approved it.
Worked for the genuine need, had safe storage, firearm was safe...job done. He's allowed to use it for other legal purposes too. He can take it & compete in Combined Services or shoot other species. Its all good.
Sometimes the size calibre is not what makes it "better"
It all... DEPENDS.
Buy the best that you can afford & if you can decide how many different firearms you can have & no one really cares.
There are verbal calibre wars. A lot of people bag 6.5 Creedmoor & their owners. Its virtually Holden vs Ford thing. It should only be taken that seriously.
One fellow said he was torn between buying a 300WM & a 7mmPractical. Its a wild cat calibre where a 300WM shell is fitted with a 7mm projectile. He was advised, go shoot both & decide or buy a 300WM & if you want to go to a 7mmPractical (or sometimes called a 7mm-300WM) wait til your barrel is shot out & needs replacing & take it to a gunsmith, they can modify it to suit.
If you can afford both & want both...who cares? It makes no difference to anythign except your bank balance.
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